Songwriting Lawsuits

It says something that the second son of the King of Bahrain, Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa (left side of picture), basically became involved with Michael Jackson in 2005 because he wanted to have the self-described King of Pop sing/perform the songs he had written. Now the shiekh is suing Michael Jackson for £4.7m and he claims he set up the singer with a studio in his ranch so he could record the sheikh’s own songs. The full article is here.

Jackson is contesting the claim, insisting there was no valid agreement of repayment and arguing that the sheikh’s case is based on “mistake, misrepresentation and undue influence”. Bankim Thanki QC, representing the sheikh, told the court that his client set up a recording studio at the singer’s Neverland ranch and sent him compositions he had written himself.

Jackson recorded one of the sheikh’s songs the day after the pop star’s criminal trial ended over child molestation charges in California, Thanki said. The song, which was to have been released as a charity single to help victims of the Boxing Day tsunami, will be played in court during the trial. “It shows the quality of Sheikh Abdulla’s songwriting skills and that of Mr Jackson’s voice,” Thanki told the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney.

I can’t wait to hear this song (can’t find it anywhere)… and also, not to judge Shiekh Abdulla too harshly, ‘cos if I had that kind of money, I’d be “buying” my songs into posterity… May the Muse be with us all… even shiekhs…